Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (2023)

By Jasmine Gearie

last updated

We compare Australia’s NBN 50 deals and plans

Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (1)

Jump to:

  • Noteworthy deals
  • Best NBN 50 plans
  • NBN 50 FAQ

More NBN deals

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1. Best NBN plans
2. Cheap NBN plans
3. Best NBN 100 plans
4. Best internet deals

When the NBN first rolled out, NBN 50 was the best value proposition on the market, offering plenty of bandwidth and speed for regular users and small families alike, at a more reasonable cost than an NBN 100 plan.

As a result, it’s now by far the most popular plan option in Australia, with just over half of all Aussies on the network choosing NBN 50 at this stage.

There’s plenty of plans and deals to choose from in this market, and frequent discounts are available when you first sign up to a new plan. At the same time, NBN Co has proposed its plan to increase the cost of wholesale NBN 50 plans by AU$5 a month, which will undoubtedly be passed onto consumers.

Prices remain competitive for the time being, and we’ve partnered with WhistleOut (opens in new tab) to help you compare NBN 50 plans and find the right deal for you. It’s typically a tight race between Spintel and Tangerine for the title of best NBN 50 plan, but Spintel has beaten out Tangerine to offer the best all-rounder in the NBN 50 space.

Noteworthy NBN 50 deals

Further down, we’ve hand-picked the best NBN 50 plans on the market right now, but some providers are offering deals (often for fresh sign-ups over the first six months) so we’ve listed them below incase any of their offers entice you:

Best NBN 50 plans

Best overall NBN 50 plan

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Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (2) (opens in new tab)

Spintel | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$54p/m (first 6 months, then AU$64.95p/m) (opens in new tab)

Beating out one of our favourite providers Tangerine at the moment is Spintel, with its excellent six-month offer and low ongoing plan fees. Spintel’s initial cost of AU$54 a month is one of the lowest introductory prices for an NBN 50 plan we can find (only beaten by 15 cents). Once the initial discount ends, its ongoing rate of AU$64.95 is also one of the most competitive available, coming in well under the average monthly price of AU$75 in this tier.

Total minimum cost: AU$54 | Total cost for first year: AU$713.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$779.40

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(Video) How to pick the best NBN plan in Australia

Best fast NBN 50 plan

Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (3) (opens in new tab)

Spintel | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$54p/m (first 6 months, then AU$64.95p/m) (opens in new tab)

Plenty of providers in the NBN 50 tier offer plans with the maximum typical evening speed of 50Mbps, so choosing the best fast NBN 50 plan can come down to price. Spintel’s plan comes with a maxed-out speed of 50Mbps during the evening hours, and it does so for a very competitive price. If you want a little extra value for money, our second choice is Exetel’s NBN 50 plan (opens in new tab), which includes the ability to push your internet speed up to 100Mbps five times a month.

Total minimum cost: AU$54 | Total cost for first year: AU$713.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$779.40

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Cheapest NBN 50 plan

Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (4) (opens in new tab)

Spintel | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$54p/m (first 6 months, then AU$64.95p/m) (opens in new tab)

(Video) Why 5G Home Internet is better than the NBN

Scoring three-from-three on our recommendation list for NBN 50 at the moment, this plan from Spintel has one of the cheapest introductory prices as well as a low ongoing rate in this speed tier. You’re getting a top typical evening speed for the price, so it’s excellent value for money. If you don’t have your own modem, it’ll cost you AU$155 to have Spintel deliver one (AU$135 for the modem itself and AU$20 delivery).

Total minimum cost: AU$54 | Total cost for first year: AU$713.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$779.40

View Deal (opens in new tab)

  • Telstra vs Optus NBN:who has better broadband?

NBN 50 FAQ

How fast is NBN 50?

NBN 50 as a speed tier offers up to 50Mbps download and 20Mbps upload speeds, and while this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be hitting that rate at all times, it’s becoming more likely.

With most providers now advertising a typical evening speed of 50Mbps, you’re more likely to be getting that max speed during the busy peak periods (that’s between 7pm–11pm). Although, as always, this could vary with multiple factors, including your specific NBN connection type.

How much does NBN 50 cost?

NBN 50 plans are the most popular choice for Australians signed up to the internet, and because of this, most providers offering NBN 50 plans have some very competitive offers and discounts, particularly for your first six months on the service.

Standard prices on the NBN 50 tier range between AU$65 to AU$95 a month, but when welcome discounts are available, you can sign up for as little as AU$54 a month for your first six months. The average monthly price for an NBN 50 plan currently sits at AU$75.

Telstra’s NBN 50 plan is the most expensive in the market, with an ongoing rate of AU$95 a month. While that’s significantly above the average cost, Telstra offers other incentives to get you to sign up with its service, such as a modem with 4G back up, allowing you to prioritise online traffic and providing free subscriptions to streaming service for a set amount of time.

Can I get NBN 50?

If you’re not in a rural or remote area of Australia, or one of the few other locations that haven’t had a fixed line NBN service set up, then you’ll be able to get an NBN 50 connection.

All connection types, such as fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC), are able to support NBN 50, but some of them are likely to perform more reliably.

Which providers have NBN 50?

There are very few (if any) providers at this stage which are not offering NBN 50 plans, given its immense popularity and ability to be connected to, and supported by, a vast majority of Aussies homes.

This means that Telstra, Optus, TPG, Aussie Broadband, Belong, Dodo, Exetel, iiNet, Spintel, Tangerine and plenty of others all have compelling NBN 50 plans to choose from.

NBN 50 vs NBN 100?

As with any purchasing decision, the 'better' option won’t be better for everyone. For light internet users, such as households with two to four users that stream in high definition and don’t plan to use it for anything more intensive, NBN 50 is likely to be more than enough.

But for anyone experiencing congestion issues, or anyone that wants their download time drastically cut down, the extra AU$200 or so per year is certainly a small price to pay for double the download speeds – particularly in the context of a plan that already costs around AU$750 annually, in NBN 50’s case.

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Best NBN 50 plans: our top picks for the best value 50Mbps internet (5)

Jasmine Gearie

Ecommerce editor

Jasmine Gearie is an ecommerce editor at TechRadar Australia, with a primary focus on helping readers cut through the jargon to find the best mobile and internet plans for their needs. She crunches the numbers to maintain dedicated guides to the latest phones, NBN and broadband plans of all types, and covers the important telco industry news. She also hunts down tech deals on laptops, phones, gaming consoles and more, so readers know where to buy the products they want for the cheapest prices.

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FAQs

Is NBN 50 fast enough? ›

NBN 50 is a fast enough broadband plan for internet-intensive households. The 50Mbps download speed and 20Mbps NBN 50 upload speed on offer is more than enough to download and upload very large files. It is also well suited for watching high-definition and 4K videos.

What speed is 50 NBN plans? ›

How fast is the NBN 50 plan? The NBN 50 plan yields download speeds of up to 50Mbps (megabits per second) and 20Mbps upload. This speed tier has grown in popularity over the last year or so, and should ideally be a significant step up over your old ADSL connection.

What are the best NBN 50 speeds? ›

Is NBN 50 fast enough? The NBN 50 plan offers download speeds up to 50Mbps and upload speeds up to 20Mbps. This is one of the most popular speed tiers in recent years since it's a major upgrade to your ADSL connection.

How much is NBN 50? ›

TPG's NBN™50 plan offers typical evening download speeds of 50Mbps for just $74.99/mth.

Is 50 Mbps fast enough for home internet? ›

Answer: Absolutely! 50 Mbps is plenty of internet speed to do what you enjoy. Your internet service works for you, so whether you're checking social media, streaming your favorite TV show, or jamming out to the latest billboard toppers, 50 Mbps allows you to keep entertained and informed at fast speeds.

How much does 50Mbps cost? ›

Here's what the 50Mbps plan offers. This is one of the most affordable annual broadband plans BSNL is currently offering to its customers. The plan usually costs Rs 5,399 which translates to Rs 450 per month.

How long does 50 Mbps last? ›

A download speed of 50Mbps allows you to stream ultra-HD video on 2 devices at the same time, or download a HD movie in 11 minutes.
...
Download Times.
Activity50Mbps Download Time
Downloading a 2 hour movie:3 minutes (SD quality) 11 minutes (HD quality) 53 minutes (Ultra HD quality)
5 more rows

Is 50 Mbps slow WIFI? ›

A good internet speed is anywhere between 25 and 100 Mbps. Speeds of 25 Mbps allow up to 2 devices to stream, surf the web and check emails. 50 to 100 Mbps allow a few more people to stream in HD or even 4K, stream music, game, browse social media, and work from home.

How fast is 50 Mbps for WIFI? ›

Is 50 Mbps fast? 50 Mbps internet runs at download speeds of 50 megabits/second and upload speeds of 10 megabits/second. This rate supports large file downloads or transfers and can connect between 10-15 devices at once. Downloading an hour-long webinar with 50 Mbps internet takes approximately 25 seconds.

Is NBN 50 fast enough for 4K streaming? ›

NBN 50 plans

97.3 per cent of NBN 50 users were able to achieve two 4K streams, which dropped to 87.1 per cent for three, and 65.4 per cent for four. No NBN 50 users were able to get five simultaneous 4K streams. In short, NBN 50 is a reliable choice for up to three 4K streams at once.

What type of NBN is best? ›

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), also known as Fibre to the Home (FTTH), is generally considered the best type of connection you can get. It's one of the fastest connection types available on the nbn™ and has potential for future expansion.

Is 5G faster then NBN? ›

5G offers faster maximum speeds than the NBN, but coverage is currently extremely limited in comparison. 5G could be a NBN alternative for some users, but is unlikely to replace other broadband plans and options.

Is NBN worth the money? ›

NBN has been a part of the Australian internet landscape for many years now, however it still suffers a fairly negative reputation. Despite generally better speeds, offering faster speed tiers and promising to improve home connections by 2023, the NBN still has somewhat of a reputation for unreliable or slow speeds.

How can I get NBN for free? ›

To get your free FTTP upgrade, you first need to be at an FTTN or FTTC that's ready to be upgraded. You can check your upgrade eligibility through any telco that's part of the upgrade program, and if you're not eligible, you can request updates about your address via the NBN Co website.

How much does a new NBN box cost? ›

An NBN connection box should be free of charge. The only fees you should expect to pay that are related to an NBN connection box are for non-standard installations, but you'll be told if you need one of those during installation. Standard installations of NBN equipment, including an NBN connection box, are free.

Is 50 Mbps enough for Netflix? ›

We recommend an internet plan with at least 50 Mbps download speeds if you enjoy streaming Netflix. This ensures that your connected devices and one other person can get online and not flip a table over maddeningly slow internet speeds while you watch Schitt's Creek.

What is a good internet speed for home? ›

A good internet speed is around 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload. This should satisfy households that are streaming on multiple devices, online gaming, and working from home. The average internet speed in the U.S. is currently 189 Mbps download and 23 Mbps upload.

Can I watch TV with 50 Mbps? ›

With 25 Mbps, you could stream one show in 4K if there are no other internet connections. 50 Mbps—Good for 2–4 people and 5–7 devices. A speed of 50 Mbps can handle 2–3 video streams plus some extra online activity.

How many GB is 50 Mbps? ›

Megabits per second to Gigabytes per second Conversion Chart
Megabits per second (Mbps)Gigabytes per second (GBps)
30 Mbps0.00375 GBps
40 Mbps0.005 GBps
50 Mbps0.00625 GBps
75 Mbps0.009375 GBps
25 more rows

Why am I only getting 50 Mbps? ›

If you are using an older router , then you might be experiencing a bottleneck , if you want 100 mbps via wifi then you must use 802.11ac or the the 5 Ghz band . Older 2.4Ghz can only reach upto 50 mbps ,maybe buy a new 5Ghz router. How fast is 600 kbps internet speed?

What can you do with 50Mbps internet? ›

What you can do with 50Mbps broadband
  • Browse the internet. ...
  • Send emails and receive emails (with attachments) ...
  • Bank and pay your bills online. ...
  • Stream TV, movies and music. ...
  • Play multiplayer games (including shooters) ...
  • Download new games and apps for phones and tablets. ...
  • Connect 10-12 devices without problems.
Dec 19, 2022

What is normal internet speed? ›

Basic Service = 3 to 8 Mbps. Medium Service = 12 to 25 Mbps. Advanced Service = More than 25 Mbps. Mbps (Megabits per second) is the standard measure of broadband speed.

What internet speed is best for 4K TV? ›

What internet speed does someone need to watch 4K video? The viewer needs a download speed of around 50 Mbps to reliably watch 4K streams. So-called high-speed internet from most ISPs usually only starts at around 25 Mbps.

What does NBN 50 mean? ›

The maximum nbn speed on this speed tier is 50​/20 – which means that the theoretical peak download speeds (from the Internet) is up to 50 Megabits per second, and the theoretical peak upload speeds (to the Internet) is up to 20 Megabits per second.

How much WIFI do I need for streaming TV? ›

Recommended Internet Speed

You'll need at least 4-8 Mbps of Internet speed to watch pre-recorded shows and movies, and 10 Mbps or more to stream live TV. 4K streaming requires speeds around 20 Mbps per user. So if three people in your home are streaming 4K video, you'll want a minimum Internet connection of 60 Mbps.

What is considered good NBN speed? ›

A good internet speed is around 50Mbps. On the Australian market, these speeds most widely available on NBN 50 plans. An NBN 50 plan will allow a household of 3-4 people to be on the internet all at the same time, streaming Netflix, browsing social media, uploading emails, etc.

What is a good speed for NBN? ›

NBN speed tiers
NBN speed tierPoor NBN speedsGood NBN speeds
NBN Basic II (NBN 25)0 - 15 Mbps15 - 22 Mbps
NBN Standard (NBN 50)0 - 30 Mbps35 - 40 Mbps
NBN Fast (NBN 100)0 - 60 Mbps60 - 85 Mbps
NBN Superfast (NBN 250)0 - 110 Mbps110 - 150 Mbps
2 more rows

How fast should my NBN speed be? ›

What is a good NBN speed test result?
QualityPoorGood
Basic II NBN 250 – 15 Mbps15 – 22 Mbps
Standard NBN 500 – 30 Mbps35 – 40 Mbps
Fast NBN 1000 – 60 Mbps60 – 85 Mbps
Superfast NBN 2500 – 150 Mbps150 – 200 Mbps
1 more row

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